After our hasty evacuation from Bilit Adventure Lodge, due to the ongoing floods, we knew we’d be making tracks once again for Sandakan (ultimately winding up at Sabah Hotel for the night, which I covered in the last review), but the Borneo adventure certainly wasn’t wrapping up just yet. Our tour operator, STWA, as well as our long-suffering guide Ray, had plenty in store after lunch.

First up after lunch, up an incline so steep I wasn’t actually convinced our van would be able to ascend too much further, was a brief visit to the Puu Jih Shih Buddhist temple. The temple itself is large, with multiple statues and figures, as well as fantastic views right across downtown Sandakan and across the sea. There was no time to languish though, as we were whisked off immediately to the Labuk Bay proboscis monkey sanctuary.

I will open by saying, this is not a drive for anyone easily motion sick. The final stretch, from the main road to the sanctuary itself, requires much pothole dodging and felt like driving on the moon. After a brief – and lethal, in the rain – walk down a wooden boardwalk, we quickly wound up at the viewing area.

The sanctuary is actually an ideal place to spot proboscis monkeys up close, without firmly intruding upon them, their habitat or lifestyles. Shortly after we arrived, their food was unceremoniously delivered to one of the platforms, and they all appeared as if by magic.

We took great interest watching their hierarchy at play as they all gathered around on the platform to devour the food, bar two who were persona non grata – according to Ray, by account of their youth and juniority in the clan.

Ultimately, not only they did get very slim pickings by the end – but they were even beaten to second place in the pecking order by a very persistent squirrel, who eventually managed to jump onto the platform, grab what it could and scarper, before any successful attempts to savage it.

Next morning we headed out early to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, a real highlight. Sun bears are, of course, the smallest bear species and most well suited to tree-living – but despite their cuteness, are in ever-dwindling numbers, largely because of man-made causes; deforestation, wildlife trade, etc.

Just across the road (literally), is the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, where we headed next.

Once again, we arrived just in time to see these beautiful giants at feeding time – although again, there was plenty of drama. The Mother and Baby, both ready to tuck in, came under what can only be described as a wild act of piracy from a platoon of macaque’s (see them moments from invasion in the image below).

Thankfully both managed to grab as much food as they could manage, before retreating to the relative safety of the nearby trees, up away from the invading force.

After that it was off for one final local lunch with Ray, Jessie and a few others from Sepilok Tropical Wildlife Adventure.

Back into our private tour bus once again for a continued jaunt through the afternoon, stopping first at the Agnes Keith House, named after an American author and expat – of the time – who owned what I think we can all agree was quite an opulent abode.

Onwards to the Sandakan Central Market, where we wandered for a little over half an hour across the several floors of this expansive market, before continuing to St. Michael’s Church, perched just up on top of a hill. A beautiful building, constructed initially in 1893, we wandered around the outside looking at both the building, surrounding views, and doing our best to become no further sunburnt than we already were.

Our last stop was the far more sombre Sandakan Memorial Park, a former POW camp in memory of Australian and British prisoners of war, especially those who lost their lives in the brutal Sandakan death marches. We enjoyed walking around, reading (and hearing from our guide, Ray) about the atrocities that took place, in what is otherwise a beautiful, serene space.

After what had been an epic trip to Borneo, it was time to wrap things up, head to the airport, and say our farewells to Ray, before heading for our flight AK5195 – which would turn out to be quite the adventure. Overall, and in spite of the once-in-a-generation floods, we had an amazing – and adventurous – time in Borneo, exploring the wildlife, the sights and the local culture – and couldn’t recommend it enough, especially having also been looked after so well.